1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to aircraft and, in particular, to designing aircraft. Still more particularly, the present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for designing boundaries for wireless networks in the interior of an aircraft.
2. Background
In designing and manufacturing aircraft, reducing the weight of the aircraft is desirable. The reduction in weight often provides savings in fuel and other costs. Wiring between different devices may add more weight than desired. As a result, wireless networks have been introduced into aircraft for different systems.
For example, a wireless network may be implemented to send data from different sensors to a computer system. The sensors in the wireless network include air pressure sensors, temperature sensors, position sensors for actuators, and other suitable types of sensors.
Another wireless network may be present in the aircraft to control lighting in the aircraft. Further, another wireless network may include devices for an environmental system of the aircraft. A network of wireless access points may be present in or around the cabin of an aircraft for use by passengers to access the Internet. These and other types of wireless networks may reduce the amount of wiring needed in the aircraft.
The performance of multiple wireless networks in an aircraft, however, may not be as desired. For example, when more than one wireless network is present in the aircraft, the wireless signals transmitted by the wireless networks may interfere with each other and reduce the amount of performance desired. The interference may reduce the reliability, reduce distances for wireless signal propagation, or cause other undesired effects. As a result, additional wireless devices may be added to take into account reduced performance. The addition of devices, however, may increase the weight of the aircraft more than desired.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a method and apparatus that takes into account at least some of the issues discussed above as well as possibly other issues.